Creature: A film by Asif Kapadia of Akram Khan’s ballet for English National Opera
Akram Khan’s Creature – back on stage soon and on screen – does not do justice to the subject matter
Ballet and Dance Reviews
All ballet reviews
Ballet Icons Gala 2023 was an indubitably glittering event on stage and off
United Kingdom Ballet Icons Gala: Dancers, English National Ballet Philharmonic / Maria Seletskaja (conductor). London Coliseum, 19.2.2023 (JO’D)
Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate for The Royal Ballet provides food for thought
United Kingdom The Royal Ballet’s Like Water for Chocolate: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Siân Griffiths (mezzo-soprano), Tomás Barreiro (guitar), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Alondra de la Parra (conductor). Recorded (directed by Ross MacGibbon) at the Royal Opera House, Covent, Garden, 9.6.2022 and shown at Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 19.1.2023. (JPr)
Derek Deane’s Swan Lake for English National Ballet is both satisfying and coherent
United Kingdom English National Ballet’s Swan Lake: Dancers of English National Ballet, English National Ballet Philharmonic / Daniel Parkinson (conductor). London Coliseum, 12.1.2023. (JO’D)
Reliving memories of Rudolf Nureyev’s 1968 The Nutcracker production for The Royal Ballet
United Kingdom Rudolf Nureyev’s The Nutcracker: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden Opera Chorus / John Lanchbery (conductor). Filmed (directed by John Vernon) at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 10.3.1968 and re-released on DVD by Opus Arte in 2020. (JPr)
Maina Gielgud and Polish National Ballet take a captivating Giselle back to the future
Poland Adolphe Adam, Giselle: Dancers of Polish National Ballet, Orchestra of Polish National Opera / Patrick Fournillier (conductor). Recorded (directed by Ewa Krasucka) at Teatr Wiekli – Polish National Opera, Warsaw, 28 and 30.11.2022 and available on OperaVision and YouTube until 26.6.2023. (JPr)
ENB’s Nutcracker is an emotional journey from which the audience returns both grateful and charmed
United Kingdom English National Ballet’s Nutcracker: Dancers of English National Ballet, Students from Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, English National Ballet Philharmonic / Graham Sutherland (conductor). London Coliseum, 15.12.2022. (JO’D)
The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker still is a glittering showcase for a company at their very best in 2022
United Kingdom Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker: Dancers of The Royal Ballet, London Oratory Junior Choir, The Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School (director: Charles Cole), Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Barry Wordsworth (conductor). Broadcast (directed by Peter Jones) from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to Cineworld Basildon, Essex, 8.12.2022. (JPr)
